


Come On Over

by Burgie



Category: Star Stable Online
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-12
Updated: 2018-12-12
Packaged: 2019-09-17 04:48:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16967964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: Ariana invites Rania over to her apartment for dinner. Ariana belongs to inappropriatestarstable.





	Come On Over

The words were out before Ariana could stop to even think about them.

"Did you want to come over to my place for dinner tonight?" It had been meant as a friendly gesture, of course, especially after Rania had taken Ariana in one night a few weeks ago. When it had been raining, and the demons had circled just a little closer, and Ariana had felt... well, to borrow a word from one of the books that Louisa loved reading, wretched. Of course, though, she hadn't told Rania about any of that. About how she'd been kicking herself for ages over breaking Daine's heart, ruining his relationship with Ydris. It was better now, though, Daine had talked to her and forgiven her (even though she still felt like she didn't deserve it), and they were friends again. It was still a little awkward, but it was getting better.

"Sure," said Rania, her face lighting up as she showed her pearly white teeth in a grin. Ariana's heart skipped a beat at that beautiful smile. "Now I won't have to spend the night on my own." Sigry had an important mayoral event to attend in Jorvik City (there were a lot of those, to Sigry's surprise), and she'd taken Eiren as her plus-one.

"That's why I suggested it," said Ariana with a laugh that sounded far more carefree than she felt. Though, she definitely felt butterflies in her stomach. "I'll see you tonight, does seven sound okay?"

"Six," said Rania. "That way, we can have a chat before we eat." Ariana's heart fluttered, somehow managing to soar up into her throat.

"Six sounds great," said Ariana, hoping that Rania wouldn't hear the slightest squeak in her voice from nerves mixing with excitement. She was literally never like this, but when it came to Rania? Ariana just... didn't feel like herself. At least, until the guilt set in.

"I'll ask one of your friends for directions," said Rania. "Maybe Louisa."

"Oh, she'll love that," said Ariana with a laugh, but immediately clamped her mouth shut. Dammit, she'd almost let slip that Louisa would love to be in on getting the two of them together. Still, at least Louisa wouldn't give her shit for having a crush. She never did, even when it seemed pathetic.

"Great! Then I'll call her when it gets closer to tonight," said Rania. "Looking forward to it." That was definitely a flirtatious grin on her lips, making heat rush to Ariana's cheeks.

"Yeah, me too," said Ariana. "See ya then." She swore that Lion was giving her a smug grin as she walked back towards him, swinging herself up into his saddle. And, as she clicked him into a canter to head back to Jarlaheim, he spoke up.

"Well, it's about damn time," said Lion, for only Ariana to hear.

"Oh, shut up," Ariana hissed, nudging his sides with her heels to get him to go faster. She needed to get home and clean her apartment. Not that it was filthy, just... well, she was having company over, damn it! She should make an effort. Maybe even buy a nice dress... no, not that much effort. She'd just put some nice clothes on and maybe some makeup. Or maybe no makeup. Argh, how did one date a blind person? Not that it was a bad thing, just, with the lack of sight, so many of the usual things went out the window.

Louisa was surprised to find Ariana standing on her doorstep looking... nervous.

"Ariana? Are you oka-" Louisa began, but Ariana cut her off.

"I just kind of invited Rania over for dinner and now I have no idea what to do and please can you help me?" Ariana asked all in a rush, her grey eyes shining with emotion.

"Oh," said Louisa, her eyes widening. "I see."

"Yeah, it wasn't planned or anything, it just slipped out when she mentioned that her mama was leaving her home alone," said Ariana, raking her fingers through her long blonde hair. Thankfully, Louisa didn't comment on how bizarre it was for Ariana to want to have someone over for dinner after learning that their parents wouldn't be home. Ariana was feeling bizarre enough already, why did Rania make her feel so soft, so... innocent? Ariana hadn't felt innocent in years. And now, she couldn't feel innocent without feeling guilty afterwards. She just... she just wanted to cuddle Rania under the covers, sip hot cocoa with her by the fire, go on trail rides and listen while Rania told her all about the place she called home and god, she was in too deep.

"Alright, first things first, what are you having for dinner?" Louisa asked.

"I dunno," said Ariana, walking inside. "I was hoping you might have some ideas? I know Sigry probably has some great family recipes or she might cook some really nice fish or god what if she wants meat, what do I do?"

"Just relax," said Louisa, putting her hands on Ariana's shoulders. "Breathe." Ariana took a deep breath, unaware how much she needed it. "Just breathe."

"Okay," said Ariana after taking a few deep breaths. "I'm okay. Just, fuck, I dunno what to do."

"How good are you with cooking?" Louisa asked. "My vegetarian recipes are... sadly lacking, but I should work on that."

"Yeah, you should," said Ariana. "Maybe a vegetarian quiche? I dunno how to cook a fucking quiche, though, they sound so fancy and complicated."

"They're really not," said Louisa. "But okay, so nothing too complicated, especially since you'll probably be nervous. Maybe a salad?"

"God, but that sounds so lame," said Ariana. "And good salads have to be fancy, don't they? With dressing and shit."

"Not necessarily," said Louisa. "You can just cut up some vegetables, use some dressing from a bottle, it'll be fine. Or you could cook a pasta dish."

"But don't they usually have mince in them?" Ariana asked.

"I just add the mince," said Louisa. "And the bacon, for carbonara."

"Spaghetti or pasta is date food, right?" said Ariana. "Does carbonara come in a bottle?"

"Yep," said Louisa, smiling. "I'm so glad you're going on a date with her, by the way."

"I know, it's about time, right?" said Ariana.

"Some people take time to figure out how they feel about someone and muster the courage to ask them out on a date," said Louisa. "Just look at Ty and Vik."

"Heh, yeah, you're right," said Ariana. "Okay, so... carbonara has bacon in it, right?"

"Yeah, but I think... fettucini alfredo should be vegetarian-friendly," said Louisa. "I don't think it has any meat in it unless you put the meat in it. Which you don't have to do. It's basically cheese and butter and cream."

"Is that romantic?" Ariana asked. "You know romance."

"Not as well as Jay and Willow," said Louisa. "But yeah, I think it's romantic. And put some garlic bread on, that's something people usually have with pasta dishes. Or I do, anyway."

"Okay, how do I make those things?" Ariana asked. "And would a blind person be okay eating them?"

"Yes and you can get the sauce in a bottle and frozen garlic bread from the shops," said Louisa.

"That sounds like cheating, though," said Ariana.

"Well, I mean, you could try making a fancy salad or roast vegetables," said Louisa.

"Okay, I'll get the bottled sauce and frozen bread," said Ariana. "Should I get candles or something too?"

"No," said Louisa. "Not this time."

"Right," said Ariana, nodding. She took a deep breath, letting it out. "Thanks. I've gotta get home and clean."

"Cleaning?" Lion echoed from outside. "Damn, you are serious about this bitch." Ariana scowled, and Louisa knew that her friend was having a silent, heated conversation with her horse.

"I'll call you if I need anything," said Ariana, heading back outside and climbing back into Lion's saddle. She headed off towards Jarlaheim, her mind racing as she tried to think of everything that she needed to do.

Ariana headed for the shops first, finding the pasta sauce and garlic bread (she considered wine but wasn't sure if Rania drank the stuff, though she did grab a ready-made chocolate cake on her way out). She had everything else she needed at home, which she headed to. Once home, she put her shopping away and began the arduous process of cleaning her apartment, scrubbing the floors and walls.

Halfway through cleaning the bathroom, literally elbow-deep in the bathtub, Ariana stopped. What the fuck was she doing? It wasn't like Rania would see anything. With a sigh, Ariana got up, peeled her gloves off, and put the heavy chemicals away, instead settling for wiping down surfaces and running a vacuum over the floor. She sprayed some air freshener, not that her apartment stank but she lived here so she wouldn't know, and changed the sheets on her bed. Because, hey, something might happen. Not that Ariana expected it to, but Rania could be full of surprises. The whole time, she kept an eye on the clock, her heart beating just that little beat faster with every hour that passed.

At last, Ariana deemed her apartment to be clean enough. Taking a deep breath, she got the fettucini out of her pantry, filled a saucepan with boiling water, and set it on to cook. She stared at it, dressed now in her nicest pair of trousers and a t-shirt that she thought accentuated her figure nicely without being too slutty. Not that Rania would see it, but this was a confidence thing.

The doorbell rang as Ariana stared intently at the pasta, willing it to boil, and she almost screamed before she pulled the water off the burner and crossed her apartment from her kitchen to her front door in a quick few strides. Ariana stood in front of her door, took a deep breath, and tried to relax her shoulders. Then, she opened the door to the sight of a beaming Rania.

"Rania, hey, you made it!" said Ariana, grinning. She held her arms out for a hug, leaning in and inhaling the berries and rainwater scent of Rania.

"I actually had Viktor help me," said Rania. "Louisa gave me directions to Jarlaheim but I got a little lost once I got here. It's so noisy."

"Yeah, it's definitely quieter where you're from," said Ariana, making a mental note to give Viktor a kiss next time she saw him. "I'm glad you made it, though. Come in, I was just cooking dinner."

"Aww, you didn't need to cook, we could've just got takeout or something," said Rania. She was grinning, though, and Ariana knew that she appreciated it all the same.

"I wanted to," said Ariana, her heart pounding and knees shaking as she stood aside to let Rania walk into her apartment. Standing here, watching Rania look around, Ariana felt like she was in another universe. She'd never brought anyone back here before, aside from her friends sometimes. One of the rules of being a prostitute, after all, was to not bring clients home. Rania wasn't a client, though. Sure, she might end up spending the night with her at some point, but... Ariana smiled as she closed the door behind her, her arms shaking as she folded them in front of herself. She felt giddy, just having Rania here.

After showing Rania where the bathroom was, Ariana returned to the kitchen to finish cooking dinner, glad that it wouldn't take long. She could hear Rania moving about in her apartment, and wished that she could see what her... date was doing. Because Rania was her date, wasn't she? The thought made Ariana's heart skip a beat even as she trembled, the nerves eating away at her. She really hoped that she'd be able to eat.

"That smells wonderful," said Rania, making her way into the kitchen when Ariana moved the pasta to a frying pan with the bottled sauce. It looked very goopy and unappetising, but it certainly smelled delicious. Or maybe that was the garlic bread that she'd put in with a muttered curse after discovering that it would take longer to cook the garlic bread than it would to simmer the sauce. She really hoped this would turn out okay.

"I know, right?" said Ariana. Immediately, she blushed. Maybe she should have said something about how she'd had it plenty of times before, or made it herself. The damn glass bottle was still sitting on the counter, not that Rania could see it. But still, it was incriminating.

"I should have mama ask you for the recipe if it tastes as good as it looks," said Rania. Ariana could feel the sweat rolling down her chest.

"I can give you the jar to take home if you want," said Ariana with a nervous chuckle. "I'm not really a cook but I wanted to try. For you."

"My mama was right," said Rania, sounding very proud of herself. "I do inspire greatness." Ariana grinned at Rania's utter pride. At least Rania had self-confidence going for her, among many other things. Ariana usually did, too, but now... well, now she was struggling just to keep herself from making a darn fool of herself in front of her date.

Dinner was ready not long after, served on the fanciest plates that Ariana had (meaning that they were the ones that didn't have cracks or chips in the white ceramic).

"Water okay?" Ariana asked, reaching into her refrigerator for the water jug.

"Of course," said Rania, that cheeky smile returning. "You know I love my water, even if it isn't sourced from Mistfall Lake. Just as long as it's not that Go Energy crap."

"Who the fuck buys bottled water, anyway?" Ariana asked, closing the fridge door with her hip as she stood with the water jug in her hand. "Pretentious asshats, that's who."

"Well, and people who don't have access to clean water where they live," said Rania. "But for the most part, yes." She giggled, the sound musical. Ariana wanted to melt, to set that sound as her ringtone. But she straightened up to take the plates and water (and two water glasses) over to the little kitchen table. The apartment wasn't big enough for a dining room, but it was enough for Ariana. She hoped that Rania didn't mind, she knew from experience that Rania had a nicer house.

The dinner went swimmingly, both girls enjoying the taste of the fettucini alfredo. Ariana tried to make smalltalk, though she was honestly too tongue-tied to talk much. Her mind kept getting stuck on the fact that Rania was right here, in her apartment, eating dinner with her. Her heart skipped a beat every time she looked across the table at her, and she almost choked on her water when Rania's sightless gaze landed on her and a smile curled those beautiful lips. God, Ariana wanted to kiss those lips.

"Hey, what's that burning smell?" Rania asked, suddenly sniffing the air. Ariana gasped, her heart plummeting.

"The garlic bread!" Ariana cried, jumping to her feet and running over to the oven. She quickly switched the oven off, turning the knob so hard that it almost broke, and wrenched open the oven door. Smoke poured out, making her cough. The smoke alarm chimed in helpfully almost immediately, Ariana cursing as she grabbed a tea towel and started to flap it at the smoke.

"Here, I'll help," said Rania, holding her hand out. "Do you have an exhaust fan above your stove?"

"Yeah, I think Louisa said it's called a rangehood? I dunno, I don't usually cook," said Ariana. "And now you can probably see why, huh?" She gave a bitter, self-deprecating laugh.

"Hey, it's okay," said Rania, resting her hand on Ariana's shoulder. "I'm not much of a cook either, best I can do is toast." Ariana laughed.

"I guess we both need some cooking lessons, then, huh?" said Ariana.

"That could be our second date," said Rania. Ariana's heart leaped.

"You mean that?" Ariana asked.

"Yep," said Rania, grinning. "And then our future dates can be even better." Ariana couldn't stop grinning as she reached up to switch on the rangehood, the fan quickly sucking up the smoke that still poured out of the burnt husk of garlic bread.

"Well, there goes our garlic bread," said Ariana, donning a pair of oven mitts to leave the tray of ruined food on the counter beside the oven. It looked like failure. Smelled like it, too. Failure smelled like burnt toast and garlic. "It's okay, though, I bought cake too."

"Cake makes everything better," said Rania, rubbing Ariana's back. "Let's just enjoy the rest of our meal, and then we can have cake."

"Heh, you sound almost like Louisa when you say that," said Ariana, following Rania back over to the table.

"She's a wise woman," said Rania with a cheeky grin. She twirled pasta around her fork, and Ariana blushed as she realised that she was watching Rania eat. That was weird, wasn't it? She didn't know. She just knew that she liked being here with Rania, and she wanted this to happen more often. And she also very much liked the fact that Rania was already thinking about a second date. So she wasn't such a bad date after all, then.


End file.
